Realistically, I don't think that it is possible to speculate on this in any way that is anything more than a pure guess. We have no idea how many are being sold each month (if any). I've never seen a "high" number of the S&G for sale on the second hand market, mind, so I would guess that well over half remain unsold.

Stu, I agree with you. I have number 265 of S&G, but I don't think it means much. Case in point - At the time I picked up the S&G, I also got #490 and #492 of CoH. I bought those in November 2010 when they still had the 3 for 2 deal. The funny thing is, I live in the US, and when I bought those two CoH's, everything was taking over a month to get here from the UK due to some US Homeland Defense thing forcing most things to go surface mail. When I purchased these, they arrived at my house in like three days! It leads me to believe that HC might send a bunch of these super deluxes over here to then be distributed more quickly and cheaply (from a distribution center, maybe?). Maybe the pile they sent over here were something like #450 to #500? At the release date of these books, I know that was not the case, as I got a much lower number S&G (in the 40's I think), and #34 and 35 of CoH here in the US. But I do wonder if I would continue to get high numbers if I bought more of these here.

I have to agree that "Most" of the S&G are still available. I'd guess only a couple hundred, at best, have sold. However, I'd be surprised if there were more than 100 CoH's left for sale. I mean, geez, this thing has been for sale for coming on 4 years. The trade editions were fairly good sellers, and they had quite a bit of hype for the super deluxe edition with the then new website and forum. The other thing CoH has going for it, is that it is Middle Earth. I'll even admit that, although I own it in standard deluxe and super deluxe, I have still never finished reading S&G. So, based on the numbers I have seen, my guess would be between 50 and 100 copies remaining.

I have an idea how we can get a definitive answer. Why doesn't someone order a hundred of these things, and see how many you actually get!

Slightly off topic, but I was discussing with another member how cheaply you could get hold of a Super Deluxe CoH --I know everyone here probably have the number of copies they want, but has anyone noticed the dealer (evo_gb) selling new copies (with the more than 10 copies available statement) for £205.36, with free postage? This is the cheapest price, I think, available (has anyone seen cheaper, newer copies?) --makes you wonder at the margin, & what kind of deal they struck with HarperCollins (--possibly striking deals for some of the last copies?)

BH

Posted on: 2011/9/17 12:58

_________________You drive a hard bargain – you can have it for £10 all-in – one consolation (for you) is that you do not have to hear the cries of my children, for bread...

I still find it funny that funny that HC produced the SD S&G in an edition of 500, despite the already slow sales of CoH. They should really have paid attention to this forum, where the general consensus at the time was that 500 copies of an SD S&G was totally nuts. An edition of 250 would probably have sold quite quickly for either book, but once the number of copies starts to go up, the desirability drops.

They would probably have had better luck doing 250 SG followed by 250 signed deluxe Unfinished Tales (Same format, but with different coloured leather, assembled at same bindery for overall economies of scale). If they had done that, they would probably have sold them all. I would have bought a UT at any rate, so that would only have left 249.

Mind you, I just quit my job, so my book buying days are probably over....